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How is refraction of light related to refractive index? |
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Answer» When a ray of light travels obliquely from an optically rarer medium (lower refractive index) to an optically denser medium (higher refractive index), the ray bends towards the normal. When a ray of light travels obliquely from an optically denser medium to an optically rarer medium, the ray bends away from the normal. For a given angle of incidence (i ≠ 0), the extent of refraction (bending) of light is different in different media. If the refractive index of the second medium with respect to the first medium is greater than 1, the greater the refractive index, the greater is the bending of the ray of light towards the normal. If the refractive index of the second medium with respect to the first medium is less than 1, the greater the refractive index, the lesser is the bending of the ray of light away from the normal. |
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